I believe this deserves a blog post. Even if it's almost five months late. ✌️
Please allow me to share my personal experience during the Papal visit. :) It's a once in a lifetime experience so I guess every Filipino was really excited. Count me in! :) I remember being so excited last year when the news about the visit came out. We're so lucky to be given the chance to be visited by the leader of the Church. :)
Day before Pope Francis' Arrival. We attended the meeting/seminar for the volunteers in our parish which lasted for two hours. A priest shared his own experiences with Pope Francis and how he was able to know that the Pope's gonna visit the country. He was able to hear it directly from Pope Francis. :) He shared how humble and approachable Pope Francis is. And this made me appreciate and admire the Pope even more. With that, I became more excited for his visit.
Day 1. January 15, 2015. The Pope's Arrival.
This was the day everyone was waiting for. I woke up at around 7 in the morning to prepare. The volunteers from our parish will meet at 10am. Since we just live nearby, we decided to go directly to the assembly place. We served as human barricades for the said event so we had a specific place already. We stayed near Andok's. The one under the Quirino LRT Station. We were only allowed to go there at around 10:30am. So, from 10 in the morning up to 7 in the evening, we patiently waited for his arrival. 9 hours of waiting...10 seconds of seeing him. Yes, it was all worth it. I really can't clearly describe how I felt during those few seconds. I just knew that when we heard that his plane has landed, I was really nervous and excited that I could not stay put. And when his motorcade was already on his way to the Apostolic Nunciature, I became more and more nervous and I don't know why. I believe that was the "Pope's effect". :) Thanks to the phones with TV for we were able to know his whereabouts. Hehe. 😛 When he was already in Roxas Blvd., I prepared my phone 'coz I really want to capture that precious moment. I know many people don't like that for they are saying that how can you really see the Pope if you're taking a photo/video. Well, I have ways. Haha. You can still do that by not looking at your phone directly. :) Para-paraan 😉 A lot of people would say that it's not a good thing to do (to use your phone during that time), but I guess that's our generation right now. People would want to have a souvenir from that moment, seeing him was enough as a souvenir but having something to look back to after all these years would be a lot better. Well, that's for me. We all have our own opinions. :)
I wasn't really able to take clear pictures 'coz my hands were shaking that time but that's fine. As long as I had some photos. 😁😁 As he was passing in front of us, the smile on my face couldn't be removed. It was a feeling that one couldn't really explain. It was definitely a positive feeling. Nakakagaan ng loob. During that time, I didn't feel any exhaustion at all. Lahat ng pagod nawala. And I'm not overreacting about that. I think everyone who waited would agree with me. Ang sarap sa pakiramdam. We really felt Jesus through the Pope's arrival. His genuine smile. Priceless. :)
While waiting :)
Yay! Hello Pope Francis!! Sorry for the blurry photo. I was just so excited hehe. :p
Day 2. January 16, 2015. Malacañang/ Manila Cathedral/ MOA Arena.
Me and my mom decided to wait for his departure from the Apostolic Nunciature going to the Malacañang. Woke up at 6am and waited along Quirino Ave. corner Singalong Street. There were fewer people today compared to yesterday so we were able to have a great spot to see him. His convoy passed by at around 9 in the morning and he was't in his Pope Mobile that time but in his very simple closed car. But we were still able to see him because he opened his window and was still waving at us. I told myself that I wouldn't be taking a photo anymore but I don't know what happened. Haha! I still did. He was so close that I could already hold him (but that's not allowed) so I just took a photo of him again. And guess what? The photo I took was blurred hahaha! Again, I was shaking the whole time. I had goosebumps again. And for the second time around, that smile I had from yesterday couldn't be erased. :) My dad wanted to see him so at around 12:30pm, we decided to go to Quirino again and wait for him as he was on his way back from the Manila Cathedral. Good thing that I was still able to hear his first homily in the country. :) Today, I was scheduled to do our experiment in one of our subjects in school so before leaving I decided to go with my family first and wait. Then it started to rain. At around 1:30pm, he arrived. Although he was in a closed car again, I still got the chance to see him. A bit far but that's okay. :)
In the morning...
The closest I got to seeing him. :)))) Again, it's blurry :( But who cares hehe. I was looking at him the whole time eh. :))
In the afternoon, while waiting :)
Day 3. January 17, 2015. Leyte.
Since he will be in Leyte for the whole day..we had classes. :| Boo. I know. :( Anyway, the night before, my dad was able to talk to Councilor Mon Yupangco who happens to live beside the Apostolic Nunciature. So we were given the chance to go to their house and wait for the Pope's departure from there. I really want to go with them to see the Pope one more time. So before going to school, I went there first. Went there at 6am. My class starts at 8am and I have an exam. So my nervousness was doubled that time. Nervous because I would see the Pope once again and nervous that I would be late hehe. While waiting, I was studying. Almost everyone there was curious as to why I was in uniform. They thought that there would be no classes today. But no, not in Valenzuela. :)) Anyway, as time passed I became more and more nervous. And finally, at around 7 in the morning the Pope already left. He was in a closed car again but this time I got to see him clearly and I managed to take a good video. :) After that, I immediately walked going to Vito Cruz LRT Station. Quirino was closed :| Since we weren't allowed to pass through Taft Avenue, I had to walk all the way to Singalong just to go Vito Cruz. Imagine how tired I was hahaha! It was already 7:20am when I was able to ride the LRT. Good thing I arrived two minutes before 8. I made it just in time! 😁😁😁 Thank you Lord! :)))
Again, while waiting :)
That night.. Dahil bawal dumaan ang mga kotse :)) Picture picture hehe.
Day 4. January 18, 2015. UST/ Quirino Grandstand.
Again, just like yesterday we waited for him as he was on his way to UST. He was in a closed car again. But since we were just behind the policemen, we were able to see him clearly again. We were really blessed to see him once again. I was carrying my nephew that time and it made me smile even more to see that my nephew was really looking at the Pope. Sinundan niya ng tingin. After, we went home and tuned in to what was happening in UST. I was glad to see that a lot of people went to that event. I even know a few people who stayed there the night before and patiently waited. It was really great to see their pictures on facebook, twitter and instagram. :)
While watching, I can't help but cry during the time that the children were speaking specially when the little girl started crying. You can really feel what she was feeling that time. That's why it was so nice to see Pope Francis hugging her after. :)
At around 1pm, we already decided to go and attend the Papal Mass. During the past days we planned to go there around 4am but upon seeing that a lot of people are already there and stayed overnight, we just decided to go in the afternoon. You wouldn't imagine how far we walked just to reach the place. Umiikot ikot pa kami. Because a lot of streets were closed that time. Finally at 3pm, we reached Luneta. That was the closest we could get. But I was alright with that as long as we were hearing the mass. I don't know why but I really became emotional when Cardinal Soc and Cardinal Tagle were delivering their messages for the Pope. My tears were continually rolling down my eyes. Even Pope Francis started crying so I can't help myself from crying as well. That mass was definitely full of emotions. Glad to be part of it. It was even said to be one of the biggest crowds for such an event. Yay, I was part of it. Haha. So, after the mass we again walked. But I didn't really feel that tired at all. Maybe because I also got to bond with one of my good friends, Kyra. :) Kwentuhan galore while walking home. :) That day was a little bit tiring because of all the walking but everything was worth it.
PAPAL MASS.
After the Papal Mass :)
Day 5. January 19, 2015. The Pope's Departure.
As what most people said that time, SEPANX. Hahaha. Indeed. Even if it was just a short stay here in our country, we'll definitely feel that "separation anxiety". You can say that a lot of Filipinos would miss seeing him and waiting for him to pass by. Those four days were really different. Good different. Plus the fact that there was zero crime rate. I hope we could always have that. Still hoping.
For the last time, we waited for him. We waited for 2 hours, I think. When the gate of the Nunciature opened, the guards started running and preparing I became nervous and excited again. Then there he goes. He was in a Pope Mobile!! And I was able to see him so close!! Whole body! Can you feel the excitement I had back then? Haha. Hayyy. Again, it was a very happy and fulfilling moment. :)
I wish everyday could be like the days Pope Francis was here. Everyday was so peaceful and I felt safe in those four days. It felt like all Filipinos were so nice and so cheerful. And everybody did get along. I just hope that it doesn't end on those four days. We should still continue being at our best even if Pope Francis isn't in our country anymore. That we should continue applying all the things he taught us. That we should learn to love God deeply and to continue praying for each and everyone. All of these could be done if we open our hearts and let it do the work.
'Till your next visit Pope Francis. :) We love you. Hashtag sepanx. :p
